Sen. McConnell offers plan for state government reform (AUDIO)

A leader in the state Senate has offered a plan to “make South Carolina fiscally fit” in next year’s legislature. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell says there are five areas that need work beyond restructuring. Realization of his plan would create:

– A law to limit the Department of Revenue’s interpretation of the SC tax code. AUDIO

– A law to prevent deficit spending by agencies. The senator says his proposal goes further than the governor’s ideas to create a Department of Administration. He seeks to further limit the decision-making powers of the Budget and Control Board. AUDIO

– A law to prevent paying bills from trust funds identified for only one purpose. AUDIO

McConnell and the governor last year disagreed over making the Senate take up her plan to create an office of administration to centralize government. McConnell sued on behalf of the Senate Judiciary to prevent her from calling the Legislature back in just to deal with that measure.